It is one of the worst cases of starvation shelter Director Laura Burban said she has ever seen.

It is estimated that dog went without a food source for eight to 12 weeks. The dog, later named Hope by shelter staff, had just enough loose skin to cover her skeleton. Bed sores cover her paws, elbows and buttock bones, Burban said.

“She couldn’t stand. She couldn’t lift her head. Her eyes were very lifeless. I was very concerned about her being able to pull through the night,” Burban said.

But despite challenges ahead, Burban said shelter staff remain cautiously optimistic that Hope will defeat the odds stacked against her.

Since Hope was brought to the shelter Monday, Burban said she has been receiving around-the-clock care. Her body temperature has stabilized — to 101.5 degrees — and she has gained 8 pounds. Hope even started to walk again.

“To see the little steps she has taken over the past few days have really warmed my heart and made me feel so good that she is fighting to stay here with us. She has so much will to survive,” Burban said.

But Hope’s path to recovery will be a long one, Burban said.

“Unfortunately, with cases like this, she could have three to four good days and it could turn on us. We are trying to be hopeful that she will keep improving,” Burban said. “The vet said after the first two weeks, when a dog has been in a situation like this, it is considered critical timing for her. After we get past the two-week mark, we will all start taking a breath.”

When Hope was brought to the shelter, Burban said her body was in the process of shutting down. Shelter staff are unsure what type of permanent organ damage — if any — Hope may have.

But what Burban said she is sure of is that the shelter will use all of its resources to save her.

Typically, when animals are brought to the shelter in emergency situations, Burban said, medical costs can total $100 to $200 per day.

To help offset medical costs and to ensure Hope receives care she needs, Frisco will hold fundraiser for Hope from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. March 19 at 383 Forbes Ave., during which he will donate 100 percent of the profits raised from pizza sales to Hope. An anonymous donor will match the money Frisco raises, also to be donated to Hope’s care, he said.

This is not the first time Frisco has raised money for animals. He said he has been holding fundraisers at his restaurant every three months for more than five years, with all the proceeds being donated to an animal shelter or rescue center of his choosing.

Frisco said he raised $2,500 for the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter last year. In total, he has raised $38,000 for animal shelters across the state.

Frisco began fundraising after his dog Heidi died five years ago due to what he said was a veterinary error. He said he sought to honor her memory by helping animals that are in need.

“One night, I had a dream about her and she told me to help the animals,” Frisco said. “I own a little business. I give back through the animals. That is my way of going back.”

While fundraising has allowed Frisco to help countless animals, it also introduced him to one of the four rescues — three German shorthaired pointers and one English shorthaired pointer — he later adopted.

“When I come home, all four are waiting for me and they put a smile on my face,” Frisco said.

Frisco said he hopes Hope finds a loving home of her own.

Hope’s story is one that has been told across the state and country. Since news of Hope’s condition spread, Burban said, people locally and worldwide have been reaching out to offer their support.

“The entire state has come together. We have people from every different section of the state coming to the shelter or calling. And it goes beyond us. We have people reaching out from Chicago, Hawaii. We have people from Texas and Georgia, someone from Louisiana and the United Kingdom,” Burban said. “There are people who are reaching out to us all over saying ‘We will do anything we need to get Hope better.’”

The shelter is offering a $9,000 reward — which is combined of donated money and a $5,000 PETA contribution — for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible.

“Our main goal is to help Hope survive. Our second goal is to find out who did this and why,” Burban said.

Tips can be made anonymously by calling the shelter at 203-315-4125. Anyone wishing to donate to Hope or the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter can make donations through Paypal at branfordanimalshelter.org or by mailing checks or supplies to 749 E. Main St., Branford, 06405.

Anyone wishing to make a monetary donation can do so in person at Frisco’s Pizza.